Human growth occurs in a period up to adolescence, in which most growth plates are still open. Growth can be medically defined as a change in size accompanying maturation, and particularly, the term “growth of children” is intended to encompass not only an increase in height, but also increases in the size and function of each organ of the body.
It is generally recognized that human growth is most influenced by genetic factors. However, in fact, genetic factors have only about 23% of an influence on human growth, and the remaining 77% is determined by postnatal factors. In recent years, due to continued economic growth, westernized eating habits, improved nutritive conditions, etc., the growth and development of children and teenagers has greatly increased. In addition, with the emphasis of a social atmosphere where external appearances and heights are considered important, growth has been of increasing interest.
Methods for promoting growth, known to date, include methods of administering growth hormone agents. However, the use of growth hormones is very costly and may cause adverse effects, including various symptoms such as pruritus of injection sites, seizures, lipoatrophy, hypertension, glucose intolerance, pancreatitis, systemic allergic responses, growth hormone antibody-positive responses, cancer development, and gynaecomastia in males. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for the development of safe and effective food materials that can essentially assist in growth.
Korean Patent No. 0887377 (entitled “Health supplement food for babies and teenagers”), Korean Patent No. 10530211 (entitled “Functional health food composition for improving learning ability and preparation method thereof”), Korean Patent No. 0561286 (entitled “Health functional composition for promotion of growth and development containing dried yeast, natural extract powder and mixed powder of nutritive components”), etc., suggest foods for promotion of growth. However, these foods have growth promotion effects that fall short of expectations.